UA Sports Festival: Final Round Battles

[ALL RIGHT, MY SPORTS FANS! WE WILL BE HAVING THE FINAL MATCH OF THE FINAL ROUND OF THIS SPORTS FESTIVAL WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES! I'M SO PUMPED!]

The announcement screen flickered, displaying the final contestants.

Haruko Bakugo vs Katsuki Bakugo

[I'VE BEEN SAVING THIS LITTLE JUICY FACT JUST IN CASE. BOTH OF THESE BOYS WERE OFFERED RECOMMENDATIONS INTO UA BY MULTIPLE HEROES BUT DECIDED TO ENTER THE SCHOOL BY THEIR OWN MEANS. QUITE THE FORMIDABLE PAIR!]

The crowd was rumbling with anticipation upon hearing this fact. Not only were both boys known to be fearsome from their previous battles, but they were on par with pros when it came to potential. This was going to be a fight to remember.

***

With only a few minutes left until his match, Haru was sitting inside one of the empty waiting rooms, his head resting on his clasped hands.

At this point, he was having a mental battle.

All his life, his entire existence had been a lie. He had lived with the looming pressure by the government because of his 'special' abilities.

Many people may think that being different or being better than others is the most attractive thing in the world, but that was because they had no concept of how heavy that burden was. Mothers may say 'everyone is special' but that phrase couldn't be farthest from the truth. Every human was unique, yes, but 'special' was too strong a word to use.

Haru knew perfectly well he was far from normal. That was a given fact and it was one he had to bear his whole life. He bore the ideologies of both the Shinobi World and Hero Society, cultures of such extreme differences. One world of shadows, death, and being treated as a tool of fate, one world of false glamour, temptation, and being treated as a tool of society's whims.

Because of this, his whole drive had been fear. Fear of what he had lost. Fear of what he could lose. Fear of what made him who he was. He had been given everything. A home, family, power, intelligence, people who cared for and supported him, but he was afraid to lose it.

But because of who he was, he held on to that fear. He chose to become strong, but only to withdraw into the shadows when the time came.

Before the USJ incident, Haru had refrained from using nature transformations since they consumed so much chakra. Even with the proper reserves, without a master to teach him, he had been completely blind on how to use them. One small mistake could be fatal.

But the feelings he felt when using them...

The feeling of power coursing through him was addictive... controlling. Using the innate power of shinobi was a battle of wills, knowing that pride was an easy downfall.

Haru ran a hand through his hair. 'I've been afraid of using my full power this whole time. I am perfectly aware I have only scratched the surface, but I've been afraid of getting arrogant. I'm such a coward.'

He pulled out his locket, snapping it open to look at the picture.

'Dad... Mom... I thought my way was so sure... but... I'm scared... I say I use your power without reservation, but every time I have to make a choice, I keep wondering if it is the right one.'

The door to the waiting room opened, revealing Izuku.

Haru snapped the locket shut, "Izu."

The green-haired teen frowned at Haru's ready smile, "Can you please not do that?"

Haru's smile faded, "I see I can't lie to you."

Izuku sat down in the seat opposite his friend, "I know you, Haru-chan. We practically grew up together. Even when I distanced myself from you, you never gave up on me," he clenched his fist, causing his knuckled to whiten, "Why?"

Haru kept his eyes on the table, "Ever since I was a little kid, I've seen the world from two perspectives. There is good. There is evil. There are several shades of grey in between them. In both worlds, power is seen as everything. The strong shape the world how they want it."

"Then why did you bother with a weak person like me!" quickly lowering his voice, Izuku continued, "I know this isn't the best time to ask, but what did you see in me?"

"Izuku... Katsuki isn't the only one who inspires my dream..." Haru's voice was hardly a murmur, "He is the reason I want to grow strong, but you... seeing you struggle all those years just because of how you were born... Seeing you almost give up on yourself but refusing to give up your dream... Seeing your determination to save everyone with a smile," he glanced at the locket in his hand, "It was you who inspired my dream towards peace... a dream of a world where people smile, not because they are safe, but because they can understand and be understood."

Izuku's stared at him, stunned. Hearing this from Haru's lips was something he never would have expected.

***

(Play: voices from the past (Extended) | Demon Slayer: https://youtu.be/JOCud_5orSY)

or

(Play: Naruto Unreleased Soundtrack - Naruto Main Theme ~Slow Ver.~: https://youtu.be/bJXw7rMQJuM)

***

(Ten years ago...)

A sickly-looking boy with straight, crimson red hair sobbed uncontrollably as he cringed away from the five figures hovering above him.

"Look at him. The weak little crybaby crying for his mommy," one of them mocked.

"The little sick kid can't fight back," another taunted.

As if to confirm the words about being sick, the redhead placed a hand to his mouth and gave a rasping cough.

The leader of the group, leaned over the crying boy, "So lame. You should stop being sick all the time or one day one of us will catch it."

He took a step forward and the redhead cowered away.

"What's the matter? Too embarrassed to let us look at you?"

The leader grabbed the smaller boy's shoulder-length hair and jerked his head up. The redhead whimpered in pain, tears falling from his large amber-colored eyes. His pale face was flushed with fever and his breathing sharp.

A tiny fist flew out of nowhere and the bully was sent staggering back.

"Back off, you losers! No one touches him!"

Haru paled as he saw his older brother, his arms bandaged from multiple burns he had gained from accidents with his own Quirk, standing protectively in front of him.

"K-Katsuki! Don't fight them... please... You'll get hurt!"

Katsuki gritted his teeth in anger upon seeing his sibling's tearstained face, "Like I care. None of them are allowed to touch you," Katsuki's palms popped dangerously as he faced the five bullies, "I'm going to murder these asshats!"

The leader picked himself up, glaring at the elder Bakugo, "Stay out of this, villain!"

One of his subordinates pointed a trembling finger at Katsuki, "Yeah, villain!"

"Only villains attack heroes!"

Katsuki's face twisted in a feral grin, "A hero never loses a fight. Extras like you aren't heroes!"

The leader took a step forward, "There's five of us. Let's beat this villain!" he glared at Haru, "We need to teach these two their place."

Izuku figure appeared in front of Haru, his arms spread out protectively, "S-stop hurting Haru-chan!" his childish voice was so shrill it was almost a squeak.

The five bullies laughed scornfully at the scared four-year-old.

Haru's eyes widened at the two boys in front of him. Katsuki full of confidence despite his pain. Izuku so afraid he was trembling, but standing his ground.

'Katsuki's hurt and he's still protecting me and Izu's so scared.' Haru's fingers clawed at the earth as he pushed himself up, a strange black symbol appearing on his forehead. 'I can't let them get hurt. I won't let them get hurt. I won't cry anymore!'

"Shi-shiki-gami Dance..."

There was a mysterious whispering sound as several sheets of paper peeled themselves from the surrounding walls and earth.

Everyone gaped as Haru raised his hand in the bullies' direction. The moment was broken an instant later when Haru's eyes glazed over and he fell to the ground.

***

"Thank you for sparing some extra time after the tests, Mrs. Bakugo."

The doctor sat across from the ash-blonde woman sitting next to her younger son.

"It's not like I have a choice. You government doctors would just trump up some excuse to get as many checkups as possible," the mother's tone held a note of resentment in it.

The doctor adjusted his glasses as he cleared his throat, "I can't speak for the rest of the staff, but personally, I place the health and safety of my patients above mere curiosity."

Mitsuki waved it all off tiredly, "Whatever. You wanted to discuss something?"

The doctor nodded, handing her some files, "It seems your son's poorly constitution is due to the overwhelming amount of energy inside his body that has now manifested into his... Quirk..."

Mitsuki narrowed her eyes as she glanced through the files, "What do you mean by energy?"

The doctor pulled out a familiar-looking scroll, "According to the scroll containing his birth information. The amount of energy inside him is large but his naturally weak body has problems containing it. The scroll did mention that..." the doctor glanced at Haru, "A previous male relative had declined in health in his later life due to his body being unable to contain the power. It is possible your son has inherited this. That is my main theory. It is also possible his... female relative... had a difficult pregnancy due to stressful circumstances that left some lasting effects on his development. We just don't have enough data to be sure."

Mitsuki frowned as she placed a protective hand on her son's shoulder, "What do you suggest?"

The doctor rolled up the scroll again, "That's the good news. We don't need to do anything. It true his tiny frame isn't strong enough to contain the energy within him at this point, especially as it will continue to grow. Luckily, the energy itself isn't inherently harmful. It also seems that a countermeasure has already been placed to suppress the energy."

Mitsuki frowned, "Suppress it?"

"Yes. Remember he was already a few weeks old when he arrived here. All that we can tell that some mark on his forehead is containing his energy and allowing him to grow in an alien environment. We guess it may be artificially placed by one of his parents."

The two adults looked at the little boy sitting at the table who was staring at them wide-eyed, not understanding a word they said.

Haru saw that his mom looked sad and thought of a way to cheer her up. He picked up a piece of paper from the table and began to fold it several ways.

"Look, Mommy!"

The boy held up a perfectly made origami butterfly.

Mitsuki's expression softened, "Is that for me?"

Haru nodded his head vigorously, "To make Mommy happy! Mommy should never be sad!"

The butterfly fluttered in his hand and began to hover around the boy's head. Haru's eyes lit up happily as he enjoyed the spectacle, his four-year-old mind forgetting his mission for a moment.

The doctor's face softened at the sight, "I'm positive he will be fine."

Mitsuki nodded as her eyes remained on the delicate toddler playing before her, "I'm sure you're right."

***

A stone skipped across the surface of the pond in the neighborhood park. It several times before it finally sank.

All the children watching wowed the incredible feat as Katsuki grinned in pride at his throw.

"That has to be a new record!" one of the boys exclaimed.

Katsuki planted his fists against his hips triumphantly, "I bet it is."

The ash-blonde glanced over at the admiring Izuku, "Where's yours?" he asked, knowing the other boy hadn't done as well.

Izuku suddenly became downcast, "...Well uh... it sank..."

The other boys laughed at his statement.

A stone skipped across the pond's surface going even further than Katsuki's stone.

The laughter choked in the children's throats as they looked over at the timid-looking redhead standing near them.

Haru's face was lit up happily, "I did it!" he ran up to Katsuki, "I did it like you taught me! Thanks, big bro!"

Katsuki's initially sour expression at being beaten softened at his little brother's adoring eyes and he gave a cocky smile instead, "Of course you did it! My kid brother can do anything I can do!"

Haru brightened even more, "Really?" he ran over to Izuku, "Izu! Izu! Let me show you!"

With contagious enthusiasm, the younger Bakugo proceeded to teach their friend how to skip a rock. Izuku happily listened with rapt attention as his other best friend showed him how to pick the flattest rocks for skipping.

Unbeknownst to both boys, Katuki's smile had faded and was replaced by an unhappy frown.

***

The news was showing yet another All Might vs villain fight live and of course, the boys watched it.

"Hey did you see what he just did?" Katsuki's face was lit up as he watched his hero duking it out with several villains, "Man, it doesn't get any cooler than All Might! No matter how much trouble he's in, he's always the winner!"

Izuku's eyes were sparkling, "He's always smiling, no matter how bad things get!"

Haru just nodded to everything they said.

Katsuki jumped up from the couch, "See! He totally stopped them! That's why he's the greatest! No matter how much trouble he's in, he's always the winner!"

The three boys giggled happily as they watched the fight, their faces lit up in admiration.

***

"Let's play hero!"

Katsuki's suggestion was greeted by several cheers from the five other boys accompanying him as they approached a fenced-off area.

Izuku looked at the sign on the fence. Although he couldn't read, he understood the red letters meant no trespassing. Both he and Haru exchanged a helpless glance.

Not caring (as usual) Katsuki pointed directly at the breach in the fence, "Come on! Let's fight bad guys!"

"Yeah!"

"...Yeah..." Izuku and Haru were less than thrilled.

The six boys hiked through the woods. Katsuki led the way, giving the occasional popping sound with his Quirk as they all marched. He even sang a marching song to keep them all up to pace.

"Forward march and here we go! Members of the agency Bakugo! Sound off–" Katsuki's foot slipped and he fell off the log.

There was a splash as he hit the water, causing everyone on the log to panic.

"Kacchan!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm sure he's fine, Kacchan is super tough, see?"

The surface of the water broke to reveal Katsuki, unhurt but soaking wet.

One of the neighborhood boys cupped his hand around his mouth as he called down to the ash-blonde, "Hurry and get back up here!"

Katsuki gave them all a grin, "Sure! Just give me one second!"

There was a splash of water as Izuku ran into the creek, holding out a hand, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" the green-haired boy's face was full of concern, "I was worried you might have hit your head or something."

Haru ran up to them and saw Katsuki's expression turn ugly.

"Katsuki!"

Haru 'accidentally' tripped and fell headlong into the stream, spraying water in all directions.

"Haru!" Katsuki instantly dropped everything to help his brother up.

Haru rose from the water, laughing at his clumsiness. Katsuki growled and bonked him over the head.

Izuku watched them both with relief, oblivious of what had been averted.

Seeing everyone's happy expression, Haru gave them all a closed-eyed smiled. 'As long as everyone's happy, everything is fine!'

***

Haru shot up from his bed with a gasp, having experienced another nightmare.

Images of people and things he could not understand filled his mind making him break out in a cold sweat. Too scared to sleep on his own, he quickly made his way to his parent's room.

It was empty...

Haru shivered in the cold air, remembering his parents were gone on a trip. They hadn't wanted to go but circumstances were against them. Aunty Inko was so distraught upon hearing Izuku was Quirkless and worrying for the future of her child, they couldn't ask her to babysit, being forced to settle with one of the neighborhood girls.

Not wanting to bother anyone, Haru returned to his room, quietly shutting the door.

He huddled on the corner of the bed farthest from the door, afraid to go back to sleep.

The was a creak as the door to his room opened, causing him to tremble in fear.

Katsuki appeared around the door, rubbing his eyes, "Why are you awake?"

Haru buried his head in his arms, refusing to answer.

With an annoyed sigh, Katuki crawled into the bed and pulled Haru down next to him.

"My bed's cold because I got up. You can keep me warm."

Haru snuggled back under the covers and listened to his brother's measured breathing. Feeling a sense of safety, he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

***

Katsuki shoved Izuku to the ground, "Beat it, Deku!"

Izuku fell on his back, grunting as the air left his tiny lungs.

Katsuki sent him a final glare turned and ran from the playground his followers at his heels.

Haru didn't follow them. Slowly, he walked over to the fallen Izuku, his eyes overshadowed by his hair. Slowly he crouched down in front of the other boy, his hand held out to help.

"Are you hurt?"

Izuku stared at him a moment before giving gave bright smile, "I'm okay!"

He reached out a hand to take Haru's helping one when it was slapped away. Haru's hand was snatched up by Katsuki's and he was dragged away, his feeble protests falling on deaf ears.

***

Katsuki and his two cronies were bullying some other kid on the playground. The little boy held his bruised arm crying while Izuku stood defensively in front of him, his knees trembling.

"W-why are you so mean? You're making him cry, Kacchan!" Izuku raised his trembling fists, "If you keep in hurting him, um... I'll... I'll stop you myself!"

Katsuki smirked, as his cronies activated their Quirks, "You wanna pretend to be a hero?" he pounded a fist into his palm, creating a small explosion, "You don't stand a chance without a Quirk, he gave the other boy a sinister grin, "...Deku."

Izuku flinched back with a gasp as the three other boys charged him.

There was a dull thud of a punch and Izuku's eyes widened in horror.

The two cronies were sprawled out on the ground. Katsuki's face held an expression of shock, his fist planted in Haru's cheek.

The younger Bakugo didn't say anything, his head remaining bowed.

Katsuki removed his fist, trying got apologize, "Haru..."

Haru didn't answer, remaining immobile. Refusing to shed a tear.

Izuku's lip trembled on seeing his two closest friends fighting. 'It's all my fault...'

***

Haru looked up to see Izuku leaving the school. His face lit up and he ran over.

"Izu!"

Izuku flinched at his voice, looking over with fear in his eyes. Haru slid to a sudden stop upon seeing the look.

"Izu?"

Izuku turned and ran away.

Haru felt a sharp pain in his chest and fell to his knees. 'What did I do wrong?'

***

(Four years later...)

Haru walked through the park in a daze.

Just the other day, in the middle of the night, he had woken up thirsty and had gotten up to get a drink of water. Hearing some voices downstairs in the living room, he let his curiosity get the best of him and ended up eavesdropping.

He had found his parents talking with none other than the hero, Best Jeanist.

Wanting to see the hero he admired up close, Haru had remained quiet. He ended up overhearing a conversation that had opened his eyes to many things he had been unaware of before.

Then he had been caught.

His parents and Best Jeanist, seeing that they had no choice, had revealed the whole truth to him.

Haru was adopted. Not only that, he wasn't even from this world. Strangely enough, the second part didn't bother him as much. What scared him now was what was going to happen now that he knew the truth. Even more, he now knew that all of his nightmares were not just his imagination, but memories that had unintentionally been implanted in his mind.

"Hello, little one. Are you lost?"

The boy blinked at the voice and looked around. He found the owner of the voice sitting nearby under a small tree.

An old, balding man, with a pointed grey beard and the bushiest sideburns Haru had ever seen, was sitting cross-legged on the grass. Near him stood a small iron teapot on a stand. From it, the perfume-like scent of tea faintly warmed the air.

The old man calmly sipped a cup of the tea with a mellow expression on his face before speaking again, "You seem troubled. Come and have some of this jasmine tea that I made. A good cup of tea does wonders for calming the mind," the old old man smiled kindly as he motioned at an empty spot under the tree.

Haru gave the man a wary glance, "My mom said I shouldn't talk to strangers or eat anything they give me," his expression fell, "...Well... my adopted mom..."

The old man's eyes held a sad look at seeing the child depressed, "You are right to listen to your parents, young one. I'm sure they only want what's best for you."

Haru's body trembled, "They aren't my parents... Do they really love me?"

The old man hummed thoughtfully, "A valid question. One that I can't answer. You can only know if you ask them yourself."

Without saying anything, Haru walked over the empty spot near the old man and sat down, pulling his knees to his chest. He didn't know why but the old man's presence was comforting. It was as if the man's soul was overflowing with love for everyone and everything around him.

The old man took one last sip of his tea and placed the empty cup in a basket, "I'd best put this away. It would be rude for an old man like myself to enjoy such a treat while a child like you is unable to enjoy it himself."

Haru bowed his head against his knees, "Sorry..."

"No need to apologize. No quality of leaves can compare to an open heart," the old man finished packing away the tea set, "Now... what lies heavy on your heart?"

"What is peace?"

The old man didn't seem to think this was a strange question for a child to ask, "I think the answer for that question cannot be answered by simple words."

"Is peace real?" Haru persisted.

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully, "I think it is possible, but peace is more than just an end to wars. True peace starts in the individual."

"Individual?"

"Yes. You cannot find peace for others if you cannot find peace in yourself. Peace isn't just a concept, but a state of mind."

"Can I find peace?"

The old man looked at Haru's golden eyes a warm smile on his face, "Peace can be found by anyone if they are willing. Peace comes with understanding. Understanding brings wisdom."

"But what if someone isn't willing?" Haru rested his chin against his knees, "What if peace is impossible because people don't want it?"

He looked up when the old man placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Even if things seem impossible, you must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you'll submit to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength. It is that inner strength that will aid you in your journey of life."

Haru held his hand in front of himself, and stared at it, "So I need to be strong?"

"Perfection and power are overrated. You'd be better to choose happiness and love."

"So, I don't need power?"

"I didn't say that. You need to keep what you hold dear close to you, but not suffocate it. If you try to take everything at once, you will be overwhelmed. Depend on others to help you one step at a time."

"Uncle! There you are! I've been looking for you!"

Haru and the old man looked up to see a young man with messy black hair walking towards them. Haru's eyes were glued to the prominent scar on the left side of the man's face.

"Ah, Zuko," the old man pushed himself to his feet, "I see you've tracked me down."

The nephew gave his uncle an exasperated look, "You can't keep running off to drink tea! You have more important things to do than wasting your time!"

The old man looked legitimately aggrieved, "To think a member of my own family would say such a thing! Zuko, you must learn to relax and let out your troubles like this young child right here."

Zuko glanced at Haru, and looked back at the old man, "Not another lecture, Uncle Iroh, please?"

Iroh bowed his head with a knowing smile, "Very well. Let us go," he turned and gave Haru a formal bow, "I'm sure you will find peace of heart, young one."

The pair turned away and walked around a bend, disappearing from sight. Haru never saw them again. Hary clenched his fist in resolution. Until the day I can find peace in myself... I will become a hero who will help bring peace!

***

(Five years later... Aldera Junior High...)

"Hey look, it's Haruko Bakugo!"

Several students hushed their conversations as the star of the second-year courses passed them by. Now thirteen years old, Haru had become one of the model students of Aldera Junior High. Smart, handsome, always ready to lend a helping hand, not to mention the impeccable control of his Quirk, he was one of the most popular boys in school.

Walking with grace and confidence no one could fake, the younger Bakugo traversed down the hall, completely unaware of the attention he was gaining or the comments being stated in his wake.

"I heard he's been chosen as the next school president by the student council."

"It makes sense, he's the perfect candidate."

"He's so cool!"

"I wonder what he's thinking?"

Haru adjusted his backpack as he suppressed a yawn. 'I wonder if Obi-Wan had flashbacks of cutting off Anakin's arm after cutting that death-sentenced guy's arm in Mos Eisley's cantina?' He mentally shrugged and continue to the student council room.

Since he was asked to take over the position of student body president, Haru had decided to meet up with them to discuss details about his future duties and responsibilities. Of course, he was going to accept. It wasn't just an honor to be chosen for such a position, it was also an amazing place to gain leadership experience, something Haru knew he needed.

It was nearly the end of the school day so the hallway leading to the student council's room was empty. Haru's footsteps were soft and barely made any noticeable sound.

He stood in form of the door to the council room and reached out to open it when he heard something that made him freeze.

"Man, this paperwork is so boring!"

"Just hang in there for a bit longer, very soon, we can just dump it on the new president."

A few laughs accompanied this comment.

"I mean, he's got a paper Quirk. If we said so, he'd think it'd make sense if we'd ask him to organize it all."

Haru's grip on the door handle tightened.

The first voice spoke again, the one who Haru recognized as the vice president, "He's just so easy to manipulate. I mean, what guy is stupid enough to go out of his way to help every person who asks for help and even do it for them? He's even friends with some Quirkless kid."

The second voice, the council treasurer's, gave a scoff, "You know how many girls have tripped on purpose so they could get close to him? He's so oblivious, it makes me wanna puke."

Another voice, Haru could only guess was one of the secretaries, gave a sarcastic reprimand, "Now, now. Don't trash talk our future president. After all, he was chosen by our present student body president."

There was another collective laugh.

"So pathetic. She's crushing on him so hard. It was so easy to fool her into thinking it was her idea to nominate him."

"She's been quite a useful tool. We kept her so busy, she has no idea that some of the reports are missing. Remember that one guy who tried to report bullying a month ago?"

"Something about future president's brother or something. Why should the student council bother what he does to a Quirkless kid? The teachers don't care either so we're in the clear."

"Of course, we can probably bring up the 'lost' file for the future president to deal with. That Katsuki Bakugo is too full of himself. Maybe with his brother forced to control him, we can bring him down a couple of notches."

"Dude! That's a good idea!"

The door to the student council room slammed open, making the whole student council, minus the president who wasn't present, sit up in surprise.

Their faces immediately paled upon seeing who was there.

"Oh, Bakugo!" the vice president looked nervous, wondering how much of their conversation was heard, "What can we do for you?"

Haru gave them all a closed-eyed smile. With a heavy rustle, all of the paperwork in the room scattered all over the floor. Even some of the files from the file cabinets were mixed in with them.

One of the secretaries gaped at the malicious act, "What the hell!"

Haru continued to smile, "Oops, clumsy me. Looks like I am not as qualified to deal with paperwork as you thought."

The council members turned whiter and trembled under the younger Bakugo's rage.

"Look, we were only joking–" the vice president was cut off as a sheet of paper slapped into his face.

"This is a notice of my declining your offer," Haru turned just as the student body president walked in.

The third-year female student stopped in her tracks within the doorway, dread in her eyes upon seeing the mess, "What happened?"

Haru placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around, "Just a mishap, president. The councilmembers kindly offered to give you a break from paperwork today."

The girl blinked in confusion but didn't question Haru's word. Saying a quick goodbye, she made a hasty retreat.

As he turned to leave, Haru left an ultimatum, "Clean up the mess. You all have until next month to quit your positions and find new members to replace you. Don't even think of trying any funny business."

The treasurer shot up in his seat, "You can't get away with this!"

Haru tilted his head, one of his golden eyes glaring from over his shoulder, "I can and you know it. The fact I am allowing you all to go to decent schools at all is kindness."

The council members were struck dumb. It was true. Haru's entire school history was cleaner than that paper he manipulated. If he said something, people would believe him. Japan's education system was strict. If news got out that members of the student council had withheld files, even when concerning Quirkless students, they wouldn't have a chance at any decent school in the future. They could try to fight back, but this was a battle they were fated to lose.

A few council members who weren't in the scheme in the first place but hadn't resisted either, stood up in protest, "Wait! We weren't part of this! Why are we being punished too?"

"Sucks for you. Your compliance makes you just as guilty," giving them one last look Haru exited the room, "I was happy to be asked on this council because I thought I had earned it. Seeing I was just chosen because of some manipulative trash and weak-willed sheep made me change my mind. I don't mind that you thought you could control me, but preying on your classmates... Despicable."

He shut the door behind him, leaving a much-subdued student council behind him.

A week later, the student body of Aldera was shocked to hear that Haruko Bakugo had not only declined the position as student president, but the entire student council was quitting. The teachers had no comment to make and those involved also refused to say what the reasons were.

***

(Present...)

"I'm still trying to decide the best course for myself, Izu," Haru stood up from where he sat, "Like Katsuki, I need to figure things out on my own."

Izuku stared after him as he opened the door, "Are you okay fighting Kacchan? You've looked up to him even more than I did as we were growing up. I know it hurt you every time you stood up to him when he bullied me. Can you actually fight him directly with the intention of beating him?"

Haru turned and tossed the locket towards Izuku and Izuku caught it.

"Keep that safe for me," Haru gave Izuku a soft smile, "This fight is going to get messy."

***

[AND THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE CLIMAX OF THIS FESTIVAL! LET US WELCOME OUR FINALISTS.]

The crowd cheered in response to the Voice Hero's prompts.

[HERE WE'VE GOT THE GUY WITH THE EXPLOSIVE POWER THAT HAS FLOORED ALL OF HIS OPPONENTS! CLASS 1A'S KATSUKI BAKUGO!]

Katsuki strode up to the stage, a grim look of determination on his face.

[VS! THE GUY WHO'S POWER VARIETY DAZZLES THE BEHOLDER. CLASS 1A'S HARUKO BAKUGO!]

Haru entered the stage, his eyes never leaving Katuki's lone figure opposite him.

[WE ARE SEEING A FIGHT NEVER SEEN IN UA BEFORE. TWO BROTHERS WITH SUCH STRONG QUIRKS AND STREAMLINED FIGHTING SKILLS. WHO WILL WALK AWAY WITH VICTORY!]

***

(Play: My Hero Academia: You Say Run (Might+U) | EPIC ORCHESTRAL VERSION: https://youtu.be/kvlJdE3wcLU)

or

(Play: The Last Agni Kai - Avatar The Last Airbender | EPIC VERSION: https://youtu.be/U_1MxeMHX9A)

or

(Play: Naruto Theme Song | Chinese Bamboo Flute Cover | Jae Meng: https://youtu.be/KbUoNyBDT38)

***

Niether Katsuki nor Haru said a word. As if on an unspoken signal they both raised their hands in a seal of confrontation.

Katsuki's crimson eyes stared at Haru. 'I will become number one, little bro. Nothing's going to dare touch you when I'm at the top.'

Haru's amber eyes stared back at Katsuki. 'I will become a pillar that will hold up the bridge towards peace, big bro. Nothing's going to threaten our family as long as I remain.'

[BEGIN!]

Both boys blasted themselves forward, Katsuki with his explosions, Haru with his chakra. They met in the center of the arena, clashing forearms against each other.

A shockwave blasted are across the surrounding field, causing everyone to gape at the display of raw power coming from the two boys.

Haru dropped, sweeping a low broom kick to Katsuki's legs.

Katsuki leaped in the air, slamming a kick at Haru's chest. Haru caught Katsuki's foot with his hand and shoved him back.

The two exchanged a plethora of different kicks, punches, and strikes, Katsuki's fierce and commanding, Haru's smooth and deadly.

[WOW! THE TWO BAKUGOS HAVE DECIDED ON A ONE-ON-ONE FIST FIGHT!]

[It makes sense, they've both been fighting the entire day and are more likely near their limits. They have amazing stamina from years of training, but no one can keep fighting indefinitely.]

The two siblings ignored the commentary, completely focused on the fight.

Haru jumped in the air, performing a sweeping tornado kick. Katsuki jumped back, avoiding the blow. Haru followed up with several more kicks, continually spinning and swinging his legs in a deathly barrage, his body hardly touching the ground.

Katsuki brought up his hand and aimed an explosion at close range.

Haru moved his arms in a wide circular movement, creating a round shield out of paper. The explosion hit the shield and Haru rotated the disk and dispersed it, effectively negating the explosions force.

'Shikigami Dance: Fueguchi One!'

The scorpion-like weapon shot from Haru's arm and stabbed in Katuski's direction.

Katsuki dodged it and blasted himself in Haru's direction.

Haru released the Jutsu but was too late to avoid Katsuki's kick. He was sent tumbling a distance away. Katsuki followed up by trying to blast Haru into the ground.

The younger Bakugo rolled to the side. In a single swift movement, he turned the roll into a flip that landed him back on his feet. He jumped in the air, performing a front flip over Katsuki's head. As he landed, Katsuki sent another explosion at him and Haru jumped into the air to avoid it.

He slammed another kick at Katsuki's head that was parried by the blonde's arm.

With a rasp of a blade cutting air, Haru created an origami kunai, swinging it down in a deadly arc. Katsuki swung up an arm, creating a large explosion that knocked Haru back. Flipping in the air, Haru sent the kunai flying in Katsuki's direction.

Remembering what happened in Haru's first match, Katsuki blasted himself away just in time to avoid the exploding kunai.

Katsuki grunted and looked up to see that Haru wasn't anywhere to be seen and carefully searched around to see where his younger brother would attack. 'Right? Left? Behind? Above?' He was hit by a sudden realization and jumped back. 'Below!'

Haru burst from the ground, his arm swinging up in an uppercut. 'Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!'

Missing the punch, Haru spun in the air, executing a three-kick combo to Katsuki's stomach, chest, and face.

The ash-blonde was able to block but was still sent tumbling back.

Haru landed on the ground, breathing hard, "Are you holding back, Katsuki?"

The elder Bakugo suddenly gave a bitter laugh, causing Haru to freeze in shock.

"Holding back?" Katsuki's face twisted in a fierce glare, "Don't play games with me. How can I fight seriously when you afraid to fight me?"

Haru stiffened, "Take that back."

Katsuki's glare deepened, "Why? You know that's true."

Haru's body flicked directly in front of Katsuki, "TAKE IT BACK!"

He swung a fist at his brother's face, but Katsuki just detonated an explosion at point-blank range. Haru was sent flying backward, his eyes wide with shock.

"You've been holding back on me this whole time," Katsuki's voice pierced Haru's mind like needles, "You've been scared of getting better than me!"

Haru created a pair of wings and charged head-on, "SHUT UP!"

His hand latched onto Katsuki's throat and he slammed the ash-blonde into the ground.

Katsuki gripped Haru's wrist, keeping him from pulling back, "You were planning to throw the match after making me look good, weren't you? You were just going to pretend you ran out of chakra and couldn't fight anymore. None of your moves were seriously aimed to win!"

Haru opened his mouth to protest, "I–"

Katsuki slammed his head forward in a brutal headbutt. With a heave, he shoved Haru off and threw him away. Haru fell on his back but kept himself from being injured by wrapping himself in his wings.

Both boys slowly rose to their feet.

Katsuki's chest heaved as he regained his breath, "Why?"

Haru gritted his teeth, "You damn well know why!"

Katsuki growled, "I don't want there to be any doubt that I'm the best student at the festival! That's only possible if you come with the best you've got! Have you ever thought of that? If you lose like this, not only is my win useless, but I've got to live with the fact that you gave up on me!"

Haru gasped and took a step back, "I didn't..."

"You said you wanted to achieve peace because your world couldn't have it. Screw that world! It has no say on what you are here! It shouldn't force its dream on you! If you want to become a pillar or some shit, do it because you want to! That stupid seal of yours is screwing with your brain. You've been so scared of losing everything, you've only settled for second place. DAMN IT! DON'T SETTLE JUST BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSES DREAM! DON'T HOLD BACK BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID OF MESSING UP! FIGHT MEEEEEEEEE!"

A fire lit up in Haru's eyes, "Fine."

He removed the hair tie holding back his hair, letting it about his head. He slammed his palms together as his seal became fully visible. With a loud humming sound, chakra began pouring off his body as the seal kept growing. 'I'll push past every limit in my body. Even if it breaks me!'

Pain shot through his body as a spiral symbol manifested in the seals center and strange marks appeared all across Haru's face. With the sudden surge of chakra overwhelming its restrictions, the seal had revealed itself in its complete form.

Haru reeled in the chakra, containing it inside his body. With a deep breath, he shut his eyes and opened them.

A feral grin appeared on Katsuki's face as he sank into a fighting position, "Hell yeah! This is what I'm talking about!"

Haru's face twisted into a matching expression, "Let's show the world what a real fight looks like."

He swung his arm out, sending a barrage of explosive kunai.

Katsuki blasted himself forward, weaving past the deadly projectiles, "DIE!"

He blasted a massive explosion directly in Haru's face. The arena shook as multiple blasts filled the air from both boy's attacks.

Haru's body blew apart into multiple pieces of paper that proceeded to crawl up Katsuki's arm. Katsuki used his other hand and scorched the paper off his arm.

A shadow passed overhead, and Haru's four-winged figure could be seen silhouetted against the sky.

"Paper Shower!"

A tempest of blades rained down in a destructive storm.

With a fierce yell, Katsuki sent another explosion, blasting the blades away.

Haru spread his hands, palm downward, "Shikigami Dance!"

A giant tornado of paper shot down from the sky, slamming into the ground with the hiss of hundreds of sheets of paper.

Katsuki blasted himself into the air, "GO TO HELL!"

A giant blast of his Quirk ignited the tornado, burning the paper to ashes.

Not stopping to watch the results of his work, Katsuki blasted himself directly in Haru's direction.

"Stun Grenade!"

Katsuki detonated an explosion between his cupped hands, creating a blinding flash of light. Haru recoiled, stunned from the blinding attack.

Katsuki caught Haru's arm and swung him around. Using his explosions, he rotated at blurring speed. With one last heave, he threw Haru towards the ground.

"Ryuk!"

With a shriek, the massive harpy eagle appeared, catching Haru on its back. Haru dispersed his wings and stood on top of his clone.

"Paper Shuriken!"

Katuski didn't even need to dodge as he let himself fall to the ground.

The elder Bakugo rubbed the back of his hand across his cheek as he gave a satisfied grin at the flying figure above him, "Heh, who do you think you're messing with?"

Haru's eyebrow shot up.

Katsuki raised a hand above his head, supporting it with the other.

A massive explosion shook the stadium.

Ryuk tilted back, placing himself between Haru and the oncoming explosion.

Haru used the extra few seconds to formed hand signs, "Futon!"

A gust of air clashed with the explosion. The flames of the explosion flared and seemed to grow hotter.

Haru reeled back, partially deconstructing his body to avoid being burned. Shit! Shit! Shit! Bad move!

Katsuki gave a laugh, "You used wind on fire? So path-YOU CAN FLY WITHOUT WINGS?"

Haru crossed his arms as he continued to hover in place, "So? Todoroki already point this out! You're slow on the uptake, Katsuki"

The redhead's body turned into a swarm of paper butterflies that reformed a short distance from Katsuki.

With a roar, Katsuki blasted himself forward, his hand stretched out to blast Haru across the edge. Haru sent out a punch, slamming it into Katsuki's palm. The elder Bakugo's hand spurted smoke but didn't explode.

Haru smirked and sent a palm strike that Katsuki blocked by copying his brother and using his fist.

The two boys were both bent over, pushing for dominance at the arena's boundary line. Haru's smirk grew into a smile.

"Let me borrow this..."

Using the hand holding Katsuki's fist, Haru began creating hand signs with both his and his brother's hands.

Katsuki's eyes flickered in shock and he briefly let his guard down, leaving himself wide open. Haru's knee slammed into Katsuki's chin and was followed by a swift kick to the face.

Haru jumped backward slamming his hands into a tiger sign, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Placing a hand to his lips, Haru blew a stream of fire towards his opponent.

Feeling the extreme heat of the blast, Katsuki shot himself backward. The ground where he had been standing was scorched black and crumbled with the extreme heat.

[THE HEAT HAS BEEN RISING QUITE LITERALLY DURING THIS FIGHT! BOTH OF OUR CONTESTANTS ARE THROWING EVERYTHING THEY HAVE IN THIS MATCH BUT THERE ARE STILL NO CLEAR WINNERS AS OF NOW! THE ANTICIPATION IS KILLING ME!] Present Mic screamed as the crowd went crazy.

Creating a pair of wings, Haru charged directly at Katsuki in a literal blizzard of paper.

Katsuki screamed a fierce warcry as he sent a steady barrage of explosions at the storm, blowing everything that came near him to smithereens.

"Fight me like a man!"

Haru hit the ground running, his fist igniting with crimson red flames, "Improvised Special Move: Calidus Brachium!"

The stadium was hit with continual waves of heat as the brothers' fiery attacks clashed at steadily increasing speeds.

Both boys were yelling at the top of their lungs, putting all their power into their swings.

***

In the audience, the members of Class 1A watched the proceeding fight, completely dumbfounded.

Izuku could feel the heat of Katsuki's explosions and Haru's flames scorching the air from where he sat and he could almost guess how hot it was at ground zero.

"This fight... it's..."

Several cries were heard from the audience, calling for the match to be ended.

The reason was apparent, both of the contestants were now covered in burns, cuts, and were heavily battered. Yet, despite that, they were still fighting.

At this rate, both of them could die of heatstroke.

'Neither of them cares at this point...' Izuku gripped his chest tightly as his heart throbbed. 'They are both sacrificing everything in this fight to prove themselves worthy of their dreams...'

***

Katsuki's arms were cramping from the strain of overusing his Quirk but he kept on throwing out more explosions. 'Haru... Ever since we were brats, you looked up to me as your big brother... I got so full of myself, I didn't notice the pain you were carrying that whole damn time!' He gritted his teeth. 'I'm going to win and prove that you weren't wrong to see me as your hero!'

Haru's body was racked with pain from overdrawing on his chakra reserves but he continued to throw punches in quick succession. 'Katsuki... Ever since we were kids, I kept silent about what I really wanted for myself... I ended up hurting you because I was too scared to actually face you...' His eyes hardened. 'I going to win and prove that I'm not afraid for you to see me!'

There was a resounding boom as both boys hit each other with a direct punch to the face. The shockwave of the compressed heat blew them both back to the opposite ends of the arena.

Bleeding, but unbroken, they both rose to their feet.

Katsuki spat out some blood, giving a low chuckle, "Heh... You really are my little brother, Haru. You've got guts."

Haru smiled in return, "Guess who's responsible? I had a solid role model."

Katsuski straightened up, staggering slightly before steadying himself, "Damn straight!" he dashed forward, "If you're gonna face me, you can't half-ass it!"

Haru ran forward, his hands blurring as he weaved hand signs.

Katsuki launched himself in the air, using explosions to propel himself in a circular motion to create a tornado.

"HOWITZER...!"

Haru slammed both his palms together, "SHIKIGAMI DANCE: YGGDRASIL!"

A tremor shook the ground like a giant tree formed as an ultimate defense.

Katsuki slammed his hand against the origami surface of the trunk, "...IMPACT!"

The spinning twister of Katsuki's move ignited the collected oxygen and momentum to fuel the ultimate explosion of his entire arsenal.

A blinding light followed by a deafening roar made the whole audience wince as they were blinded and deafened simultaneously.

From the other side of the tree, Haru's eyes widened as his Jutsu began to buckle under the sheer force of the explosion.

With a burst of flames, Katsuki's figure burst through the trunk of the tree, his hand stretching out towards Haru's face.

For a split second, time seemed to stand still as the sound of something shattering cracked through the air like a whip.

The seal of Haru's forehead glowed and dispersing in several glowing fragments as a golden light, even more blinding than the sun, flashed from Haru's body.

Katsuki's confident expression changed to confusion as his brother arched his back, gripping his head with pain, his throat straining with soundless screams.

A heavy golden chain shot from Haru's chest, slamming into Katuski's body. The force of the blow sent the elder Bakugo flying backward, sending him out of the arena. His body was slammed into the wall, the chain pinning him in place.

Katsuki coughed out blood, his eyes rolling back in his head and he was knocked unconscious.

Haru continued to grip his head in pain as several more chains shot from his body, tearing up the arena. Tears sprang to his widened eyes as maddeningly tortuous sensations raked over his nerves over and over.

Seeing that Haur's power was out of control, Midnight jumped from her podium, courageously making a straight dash towards her student.

A chain moved to intercept her but it was redirected as Cemestoss used his Quirk to back the heroine up.

Pulling out a small tag bearing the sealing formula 'restrain' Midnight slammed it to Haru's forehead.

The chains stopped moving, slowly fading as Haru's chakra was suppressed.

Haru fell to his knees his unseeing eyes staring at the empty sky.

Midnight sighed in relief, kindly shutting the boy's eyelids. She glanced behind to see Cementoss leaning over Katsuki's slumped body.

[Katsuki Bakugo is out of bounds! That means... Haruko Bakugo is the winner!]

***

In the audience, Shinso had only one thing to say, "Fatality."

***

The stadium shook with the cheers of the spectators as the display boards announced Haru as the winner of the school festival.

[AND WITH THAT, THE FINAL MATCH IS OFFICIALLY OVER! THE FIRST YEAR CHAMPION OF THE UA SPORTS FESTIVAL IS... HARUKO BAKUGO FROM CLASS 1A!]

The nurse bot hurried onto the field, placing Haru and Katsuki's unconscious bodies on stretchers.

Side by side the two boys were ferried off.

Haru's eyelid trembled and with extreme effort, reached his hand towards his brother's stretcher. An instant later, Katsuki did the same. Barely even awake, the two brothers linked fingers, forming the seal of reconciliation.

The moment was caught on camera and the crowd approval skyrocketed at seeing the bond shared by the siblings.

Thoroughly touched, Midnight rubbed her eyes, [Such fighting spirit! We'll be back in a few minutes for the awards ceremony! Stick around to show appreciation to all of our school first years!]

The announcement was met by another roar of approval.

***

(Fifteen minutes later...)

Much to everyone's surprise, Recovery Girl had the Bakugos awake and recovered enough to be present at the awards ceremony in under fifteen minutes.

All that she said to the other teachers was that 'those boys had way too much energy to spare' and left it at that.

Even so, both had bandages all over their bodies. Miraculously, there were only a couple of bust ribs and muscle trauma. The burns were another matter, but compared to other injuries Recovery Girls had dealt with that day, they were tolerable. If she weren't in a hurry, however, she would have given both boys a scolding of their lives.

Colored fireworks filled the sky above the stadium, as the ceremony began.

Midnight stood at the podium, posing herself to the satisfaction of her male viewers (but in a way that was classy instead of blatantly seductive), [The first-year students have completed all of the events for the UA sports festival! Now it's time to relax and enjoy the award ceremony!]

Anticipative music sounded over the stadium's speakers as confetti cannons sprayed a cloud of confetti into the air. Smoke steamed behind the announcement platform as a ranking podium rose from the ground.

Haru stood on the highest platform in the center, his expression full of discomfort as Katsuki raged on the second-place platform next to him.

Katsuki was out of control.

Even though bandaged up, both his arms were placed in a Quirk restraining apparatus and his body was tied in place to keep him from jumping off the podium. To top it all off, his face was muzzled, although it did little to restrain the grunting screams of rage he was letting out.

Todoroki and Tokoyami stood together on the third podium in third place, both not showing any emotions.

Class 1A sweatdropped in embarrassment as Katsuki let out another muffled yell as his red eyes stared murder at everyone around him.

Midnight smiled as if nothing was abnormal with the situation, [Now, let's break out the hardware! Of course, there's only one person worthy of distributing the awards!]

A familiar laugh that was impossible to mistake, sound from the top of the stadium as the audience began cheering for their favorite hero.

[CITIZENS! I AM HERE WITH THE MEDALS!]

The statement overlapped with Midnight's introduction causing the heroine to suppress a laugh as an awkward silence enveloped the stadium, "Oops... Ruined that, didn't I?" she awkwardly held up the medals to be given out, [So, now that you're here, All Might, why don't you start the presentation.]

The Symbol of Peace gave another laugh as he placed a medal around Tokoyami's neck.

"Young Tokoyami, you showed great strength out there."

The emo teen bowed respectfully, "Your words humble me, sir."

All Might engulfed him in a hug, "However, you have more training to do if you are going to be able to fight against different kinds of villains. You are not going to rely on your power in every battle you face."

Tokoyami looked at the bronze medal around his neck, "Yes, sir..."

All Might picked up the second bronze medal and placed it around Todoroki's neck, "Young Todoroki. Congratulations. I'm assuming there's a reason for not using your left side, but you pushed through and fought valiantly."

Todoroki's eyes were downcast, "Midoriya opened my eyes during our match. I understand why you are interested in him. I want to be the kind of hero you are... but my path wasn't as clear as I thought it was... but seeing people who give their all despite the pain has made me think..." Todoroki raised his head, "and I still need to settle things with someone very soon."

Haru's expression softened. 'Todoroki...'

All Might gave a satisfied nod, "I've never seen this sort of look on your face before," he gave Todoroki a hug, "I won't ask for details, but trust yourself. I'm sure things will work out."

Todoroki nodded, "Right..."

All Might moved to stand in front of Katsuki, "And now, Young Bakugo," he paused on seeing Katsuki's restraints, "Hmm... this is a little much."

The number one hero reached out and took off the muzzle.

"...All Might..." the instant his mouth was free, Katsuki's rage blazed forth unrestrained, "Losing by getting knocked out of bounds... bullshit! I DEMAND A REMATCH!"

Haru flinched as he placed a hand to his bandaged head, "...Katsuki... stop the yelling... please..."

All Might kept his smile on full display, "In a world where we're continually being compared to one another, there are very few who can keep their eyes on the top spot. You're one of them," the hero inwardly cringed at the ash-blonde angry expression as he held out the silver medal, "Please accept this medal. Even if you have to think of it a scare, something you'll never forget."

"I DON'T WANT THAT PIECE OF GARBAGE!" All Might tried placing the medal around Katsuki's neck, but the angry teen dodged his efforts, "KEEP THAT OFF ME, YOU IDIOT!"

All Might settled by hanging the ribbon from Katsuki's teeth where the blonde clenched down on it in fury.

Clearing his throat, All Might picked up the gold medal as he stood in front of Haru.

"Young Uzumaki," he said the name quietly, "You have proven to not only be formidable but a thoughtful fighter as well. Do not lose those qualities, for they will carry you far."

Haru bowed his head as the Symbol of Peace placed the medal around his neck, "Thank you, All Might," he looked at the hero gratefully, "I will treasure it."

All Might moved to give him a hug but Haru pushed him away his face full of alarm, "Burns!"

The number one hero pulled his hand back as he apologized, "Sorry!" he turned and addressed the audience, [HERE THEY ARE! THE WINNERS OF THIS YEARS SPORTS FESTIVAL!] the crowd applauded as the pro hero continued, [But listen closely, any one of you first years could have ended up standing on these podiums. Think about what you've done today. You've challenged each other, learned, and climbed even closer toward your goal of being pros. I think the next generation of heroes is proving to be the most promising one yet!] All Might point a finger to the sky, [So I have one more thing to say! I want to hear everyone yell it with me! You know what it is...]

Haru sweatdropped. We do?

Everyone raised their fist and cheered, "PLUS ULTRA–"

[Thank you everyone for your hard work!]

"..."

All the UA students began to yell simultaneously, "WHAT? THAT WAS THE PERFECT TIME FOR A PLUS ULTRA, ALL MIGHT!"

All Might sweatdropped, "Oh... well... I guess, but... everyone did such a good job!"

***

And so... after all the sweat, blood, and hard work put in by the students of UA, the sports festival ended.